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- Artist: The Association
- Rating:
- Release Date: February 19, 2002
- Type: Compilation (best of)
- Genre: Rock
Review
The Association had quite a few singles and album tracks other than the four or five big hits that everyone remembers from constant radio play. This thoroughly annotated two-CD, 51-song compilation, though, has way too much stuff to pore through unless you're an unforgiving sucker for their light harmonies and clever arrangements. Those are matched to material that's sometimes good, but often too airily lightweight and closer to the Lettermen than Brian Wilson. On the positive side, this does have all five Top Ten hits, the odd, interesting low-charting singles like "Pandora's Golden Heebie Jeebies" (their most psych-pop-conscious outing), plenty of LP cuts that haven't been on CD before, and the obscure, pre-"Along Comes Mary" folk-rock covers of "Babe I'm Gonna Leave You" and Bob Dylan's "One Too Many Mornings" (both from 1965, and both decent). Some of the tracks are presented in single versions that aren't easily available, and there are a couple of previously unreleased outtakes from their 1966 album And Then...Along Comes the Association, neither very memorable, though "Better Times" is reasonable bouncy California harmony pop/rock. There's a rare 1966 Columbia single by Larry Ramos and Jules Alexander recorded in the 1970s by Russ Giguere and the side project Bijou (again, rarer than they are exciting). There's also the occasionally ambitious effort, like the cover of P.F. Sloan's fine "On a Quiet Night," the moody "You Hear Me Call Your Name," or the queasily morbid "Requiem for the Masses," which is interesting if not wholly successful. But much of this is pleasant, too-wholesome puffery, edging further into blandness on much of the late-'60s and early-'70s material that occupies disc two, including their cover of Jimmy Webb's "P.F. Sloan," which is a more interesting idea than it is a good song. The two 1975 and three 1981 tracks that close the set are for the most part going to stretch the patience of all but the most devoted fans. Unless you're a sunshine pop fanatic, a basic Association greatest-hits comp (or their frequent spins on oldies radio) should be enough to maintain your tan. ~ Richie Unterberger, All Music GuideTracks
CD 1
| Track Title | Composers | Performers | Time |
| The Machine [#] | The Association | (1:24) | |
| Babe I'm Gonna Leave You | The Association | (2:54) | |
| One Too Many Mornings | Bob Dylan | The Association | (2:55) |
| Forty Times | The Association | (2:18) | |
| Along Comes Mary (Lyrics) | Tandyn Almer | The Association | (2:51) |
| Your Own Love | The Association | (2:21) | |
| Don't Blame It on Me | The Association | (2:31) | |
| Cherish (Lyrics) | Terry Kirkman | The Association | (3:27) |
| Standing Still | Ted Bluechel | The Association | (2:47) |
| I'll Be Your Man | Russ Giguere | The Association | (2:49) |
| Remember | The Association | (2:38) | |
| Enter the Young [Original Version] | Terry Kirkman | The Association | (2:46) |
| Better Times [#] | Curt Boettcher, Lee Mallory | The Association | (2:37) |
| It'll Take a Little Time | Larry Ramos | (2:43) | |
| You Hear Me Call Your Name | The Association | (2:25) | |
| Memories of You | Jim Yester | The Association | (2:20) |
| Pandora's Golden Heebie Jeebies | The Association | (2:52) | |
| Looking Glass [Single Version] | The Association | (2:14) | |
| No Fair at All [Single Version] | Jim Yester | The Association | (2:38) |
| Windy (Lyrics) | The Association | (2:56) | |
| On a Quiet Night | P.F. Sloan | The Association | (3:21) |
| We Love Us | Ted Bluechel | The Association | (2:25) |
| When Love Comes to Me | Jim Yester | The Association | (2:46) |
| Never My Love [Single Version] | The Association | (3:10) | |
| Happiness Is | The Association | (2:12) | |
| Requiem for the Masses (Lyrics) | Terry Kirkman | The Association | (4:06) |
CD 2
| Track Title | Composers | Performers | Time |
| Come on In | Jo Mapes | The Association | (3:18) |
| Everything That Touches You (Lyrics) | Terry Kirkman | The Association | (3:20) |
| Barefoot Gentleman | Jim Yester | The Association | (3:25) |
| Time for Livin' (Lyrics) | The Association | (2:46) | |
| Birthday Morning | Jim Yester | The Association | (2:28) |
| Like Always | Bob Alcivar, |
The Association | (3:06) |
| The Time It Is Today | Russ Giguere | The Association | (2:18) |
| Six Man Band [Single Version] | Terry Kirkman | The Association | (2:26) |
| Goodbye, Columbus | Jim Yester | The Association | (2:22) |
| Under Branches | The Association | (4:26) | |
| Yes, I Will | John Boylan | The Association | (2:36) |
| Look at Me, Look at You | Terry Kirkman | The Association | (3:11) |
| Goodbye Forever | The Association | (2:34) | |
| What Were the Words | Jim Yester | The Association | (2:31) |
| Just About the Same (Lyrics) | The Association | (2:23) | |
| Along the Way [Single Version] | Jim Yester | The Association | (3:22) |
| P.F. Sloan | Jimmy Webb | The Association | (4:06) |
| Pegasus | Russ Giguere | (3:27) | |
| Darling Be Home Soon | John Sebastian | The Association | (3:43) |
| Names, Tags, Numbers and Labels | Albert Hammond | The Association | (3:31) |
| Carry On | Bijou | (2:53) | |
| One Sunday Morning | The Association | (3:08) | |
| Dreamer (Lyrics) | Moon Martin | The Association | (3:33) |
| Small Town Lovers | The Association | (3:38) | |
| Across the Persian Gulf | Jerry Yester, Larry Beckett | The Association | (2:06) |
